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Tips for Washing Fruits and Vegetables

It is fruit and veggie season.  Many of us are shopping at Farmer's markets and growing gardens.  Supermarkets are full of fresh choices.

A couple of months ago I shared a post with you about food-borne illnesses.  Today I want to share tips on washing fruits and vegetables.

Hopefully, before eating any fruits and vegetables that you purchase from the supermarket you give them a good washing.  Think of all of the hands that touch those apples, peaches and plums you are about to bite into!  Yuck!

There are so many nasty pesticides that may be used on your produce.  These pesticides may contain neurotoxins, which are associated with diseases like Parkinson's disease. According to Natural Living Ideas,  three important reasons to wash your fruits and vegetables are 


  • for healthy brain 
  • to reduce cancer risk
  • to protect children's health


There are many ways to wash your fruits and vegetables,  

Salt Water Solution
A 2% salt wash will remove most pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables.  It can be made by mixing 2 teaspoons of salt with 4 cups of warm water. Soak your fruits and vegetables 30 to 60 minutes, then scrub and rinse under cold water.   This method isn't recommended for berries.

Vinegar Soaks
Mix a 1/4 cup of vinegar with 2-1/2 cups of water. Submerge your fruit and mix it carefully in the solution.   Wash and brush gently under cold water   This is not recommended for berries.




Peeling and Cutting
Peeling your fruit and trimming any remaining skin, will help to reduce the exposure of chemicals.  Rinse your fruit under warm water before peeling.  


Fruit and Vegetable Sprays
Sprays like Arm and Hammer Fruit and Vegetable Wash are designed to eliminate over 90% pesticide residue, when used properly.   It uses a 3 step process of spray, rub and rinse, to remove surface pesticides 4x better than water alone. It is free from harsh chemicals, leaves no odor or taste and is gluten-free and vegan friendly.  It's simple ingredients include baking soda, plant-derived cleaning agents and lemon oil.  It can be used on berries. It is available on Amazon and many other retailers. For more information, please  visit http://armandhammercleans.com.

Important Tip
Never use dish soap or bleach on your fruits and vegetables.  According to the National Pesticide Information Center the pores on the fruits and vegetables can trap and absorb these and make it difficult to rinse off thoroughly. For more information about Pesticide Residues in Food, visit http://npic.orst.edu/health/residue/html.

Disclosure:  I received a sample of Arm and Hammer Fruit and Vegetable Wash to review for my honest personal opinion.  Your opinion may differ.

Comments

  1. I have never heard of the Arm and Hammer Fruit and Vegetable Wash . I am going to give this a try.

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  2. I didn't know about the Arm & Hammer spray. I usually do the soak and clean, but I'll give that spray a try.

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  3. I mostly eat fruits and vegetables, and try to eat organic when I can. However, sometimes it can be more than double the price. I need to do better about washing my produce. I didn't know that neurotoxins can contribute to Parkisons disease. I am going to pin this post and try the salt and vinegar soaks. I also need to get that Arm & Hammer Fruit and Vegetable Wash! Thank you for the good post! :-)

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  4. Good article and very useful information!

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  5. Thank you for the information, we got sick from baby spinach and it was horrible. We have tried to be careful ever since. This would really help take the guess work out of fruit and veggies. I put on my grocery list!

    ReplyDelete

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